The Spectator, Volume 2. eBook

in cold Blood, it looked rather like a Conference
of Fiends than of Men. In short, every one
trembled at himself upon hearing calmly what he had
pronounced amidst the Heat and Inadvertency of Discourse.

I shall only mention another Occasion
wherein he made use of the same Invention to cure
a different kind of Men, who are the Pests of all
polite Conversation, and murder Time as much as either
of the two former, though they do it more innocently;
I mean that dull Generation of Story-tellers.
My Friend got together about half a dozen of his Acquaintance,
who were infected with this strange Malady. The
first Day one of them sitting down, entered upon
the Siege of Namur, which lasted till four a-clock,
their time of parting. The second Day a North-Britain
took possession of the Discourse, which it was impossible
to get out of his Hands so long as the Company staid
together. The third Day was engrossed after
the same manner by a Story of the same length.
They at last began to reflect upon this barbarous
way of treating one another, and by this means awakened
out of that Lethargy with which each of them had
been seized for several Years.

As you have somewhere declared, that extraordinary
and uncommon Characters of Mankind are the Game
which you delight in, and as I look upon you to
be the greatest Sportsman, or, if you please, the Nimrod
among this Species of Writers, I thought this Discovery
would not be unacceptable to you.

I am,

SIR, &c.

I.

[Footnote 1: George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham,
Drydens Zimri, and the author of the Rehearsal.]

I am Sexton of the Parish of Covent-Garden,
and complained to you some time ago, that as I was
tolling in to Prayers at Eleven in the Morning,
Crowds of People of Quality hastened to assemble at
a Puppet-Show on the other Side of the Garden.
I had at the same time a very great Disesteem for
Mr. Powell and his little thoughtless Commonwealth,
as if they had enticed the Gentry into those Wandrings:
But let that be as it will, I now am convinced of
the honest Intentions of the said Mr. Powell and
Company; and send this to acquaint you, that he
has given all the Profits which shall arise to-morrow
Night by his Play to the use of the poor Charity-Children
of this Parish. I have been informed, Sir,
that in Holland all Persons who set up any Show,
or act any Stage-Play, be the Actors either of Wood
and Wire, or Flesh and Blood, are obliged to pay out
of their Gain such a Proportion to the honest and